Acetylene-gas generator.



Ptented sept. l2, |899.

J. K. RusH. AcETYLENE GAS GENERATUR.

2 Sheets-Sheet (Application led Oct. 27, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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J. K. RUSH.

AcETYLl-:NE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Oct. 27, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. I2, |899.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE6 JOSEPH KENARD RUSH, OF OANANDAIGUA, NEIVYORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GEN ERATORF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,045, dated'September 12, 1899.

Application filed October 27, 1898. Serial No. 694,725. (N0 mOdel-l Toal?, whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH KENARD RUsH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canandaigua, in the county of Ontario and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-GasMachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertans to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inacetylene-gas apparatus, and has for its object to produce a devicewhich will quickly and efticiently generate acetelyne gas and store sameuntil ready for use.

With these and other objects in view my invention further consists inthe novel details of construction, combination, and arrangement of partsto be fully described in the following speciiication and set forth inthe claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, Figure l is a central vertical sectional view of myapparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the generator-casing; Fig. 3,a central view of the cover for the generator. Fig. 4L is a perspectiveof the vessel; Fig. 5, a perspective of the bucket; Fig. G, aperspective of the perforated basket; Fig. 7, an elevation of thedelivery-pipe end, showing the ball-valve sectioned; and Fig. 8 is adetail view of the lower end of the safety-pipe casing.

In the drawings, l is the generator formed of a casing 2, havinga cover3 secured thereto by suitable catches 4. Said cover has a dependinghollow cylinder 5, extending within the casing and nearly to the bottomthereof. A vessel 6 rests on the bottom of the casing in the centerthereof and is of sufficient weight to retain its position at all timesthough surrounded by the water 7, which half fills the generator-casing,or the said vessel G may be soldered or made stationary in the bottom ofthe casing in any other manner desired. A bucket 8, provided with abailhandle, rests within the vessel 6, and in turn contains a perforatedbasket 9 for calcium carbid l0, also having a bail-handle and supportedon legs to elevate it from the bottom and covered with a gas-dome I6,which has depending from its center a safety-pipe casing 17, providedwith apertures 1S near its lower end and adapted to surround thesafety-pipe 19, which passes through the bottom of the reservoir-casingand nearly to the top thereof above the water-surface. A delivery-pipepasses through the lower parts of the generator and reservoir casingsand has onevend located near the cover of the generator and the otherend formed in an S-trap 21, which has one bend above the level of thewater in the reservoir and a ball-valve 22 at the mouth of the otherbend beneath the water. The valve 22, as shown in Fig. 7, is formed byan elastic diaphragm 23, of rubber or the like, stretched over the mouthof the pipe with an opening in its center and a hood 24 bound over samewith a wire 25, forming a compartment above the diaphragm, whichcontains a ball 2G and an opening near its lower part. It will bereadily seen that as long as the pressure within the pipe is greaterthan that without the ball 26 will be forced away from the diaphragm andthe gas allowed to pass out through the openings in the diaphragm andescape through the water to the dome; but should the pressure outsidebecome greater than that inside the ball would be forced upon theiiexible diaphragm to close the opening therein and prevent any passageto the pipe. In case of any accident, such as the wearing of thediaphragm, though the water might possibly enter the pipe it will beprevented from gaining access to the generator by means of the S-trap,which, as above stated, extends above the level of the water for thispurpose. A water-supply tank 36 is supported above the reservoir-casingby means of a bracket 27, and has leading therefrom the flexible tube28, which hangs in a IOO loop and is secured at its other end by an arm20, projecting from the dome 16, where it is bent to form a gooseneck30, that will always be directly above the funnel 13, so that when waterdrips therefrom it will enter the feedtube l1. By this arrangement aslong as the mouth of the gooseneck 30 is below the level of the water inthe supply-tank 36 the said water will run through the flexible pipe andout of the gooseneck into the feed-tube, and thus supply water to thecarbid, but as soon as the pressure within the reservoir has becomegreat enough to elevate the dome and carry with it the gooseneck 30 sofarthat the mouth of the gooseneck is above the level of the water inthe supply-tank the water will cease to flow from said gooseneck. Aservice-pipe 3l enters the reservoir-casing at its lower part and passesupward, terminating within the dome above the water-level. The faucet islocated in the lower part of the reservoir-casing for the purpose ofwithdrawing the water from said reservoir when desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that while the dome of the reservoiris in the position as shown in Fig. l, water will run from thesupply-tank and be fed onto the carbid,

thereby generating the acetylene gas, which can only escape through thepipe 20 into the reservoir. As 'its pressure increases it raises thedome and remains there until withdrawn through the service-pipe 3l. Asabove described, the suppl)T of water to the carbid is cut offautomatically when the dome is elevated a short distance, then the wateral ready in the feed-tube 11 is sufficient to generate enough gas tofill the reservoir, and if the pressure becomes too great in saidreservoir the perforations 18 in the safety-pipe casing are broughtabove the level of the water, so

as to allow the surplus gas in the dome to travel through saidperforations and enter the safety-pipe 19 to be discharged into the air.The back pressure within the generator is checked by the Water containedin the U portion of the feed-tube 1l, which forms a water seal, and thegas within the generator is prevented from escaping between the casingand cover by means of the water seal formed by the depending hollowcylinder 5 of the cover. When the carbid has become exhausted, thecatches 4 are released and cover 3 withdrawn, when the bucket 8 can beremoved by its bailhandle, leaving the vessel 6 in its place. Thus thewater 7 is not disturbed by the removal of the carbid, and the basketwith the deposited powder, as well as the remaining lump carbid isremoved, the parts cleaned,

the baskets refilled and placed in their normal positions again, when itis but necessary to replace the cover 3, and the apparatus is rechargedand ready for use.

It is to be noted that the arrangement of the carbid within a perforatedbasket elevated from the bottom of the vessel permits the action of thewater on the under part of the carbid by the laccumulated water, as wellas that which is sprayed thereby, making use of all the carbid withoutwaste.

It is obvious that my invention, because of its cheapness ofconstruction and ease of 11andling, is adapted for use in privateresidences or other places where a gas-generator is required which willautomatically care for itself without the attention of an expert tender.

The pipe 33 connects with the pipe 20, as shown in Fig. l, the said pipe33 being provided with a valve 34, the pipe 33 connecting with theexhaust-pipe 35, as does also the safety-pipe 1S). Thus it will be seenthat should it be desired to remove the top of the generator the valve3l may be opened and air can rush in under the said top through pipes35, 33, and 20, thus facilitating the removal of the top, which wouldotherwise be held down by suction. Also in replacing the cover the airis ejected through same pipes without forcing air into the gasometer.The valve 34 is then closed in order to prevent gas from escapingthrough pipe 35 during the process of manufacture. The perforations 37are located ncar the upper edge of the generatorcasing 2 and are adaptedto permit the water in the said casing to escape if the pressure of gasin the generator should be abnormal and force the water up against theinner sides of the casing 2.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desiretopsecure by Letters' IOO the upper end of the delivery-pipe with one'bend above the level of the water a checkvalve on the other end of thetrap located beneath the level of the wat-er, and a servicepipe leadingfrom the dome.

2. In a device of the character described, a pipe a perforated diaphragmcovering the end thereof, a hood incasing the diaphragm, forming acompartment therewith and provided with an opening in its lower part,and a ball located within said compartment, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the characterdescribed, a generator-casing containingwater, a vessel resting therein, a bucket within the vessel, aperforated carbid-basket supported by legs within the bucket so as to beelevated from the bottom thereof, a cover for the generatorcasing havinga depending hollow cylinder surrounding the vessel and partly submergedin the water, catches securing said cover in end bent to form a circularspray directly above the carbid-basket, a reservoir-easing containingWater, a movable dome fitting therein, a delivery-tube passing throughthe easings of the generator and reservoir and having one endterminating in the spaeewithin the eover o f the generator and above theWater and the other end formed into an S- trap with one bend above theWater of the reservoir and a submerged Cheek-valve at the opening of theother, a Water-supply tank suitably supported on the reservoir-easing,an arm extending from the dome, a flexible tube leading from theWater-supply tank forming a loop which is supported at its end by saidarln, said tube having a gooseneek end adapted to discharge above thefeed-tube of the generator7 a safety-pipe easing depending from the domeand having perforations in the lower part thereof, a safety-pipeentering the easing of the reservoir, passing through the safety-pipeeasing and terminating above the level of the Water, a service-pipepassing through the easing of the reservoir and terminating in the domeabove the level of the Water, and a faucet leading from the lower partof the reservoir-easing.

4. In a reservoir of the Character described, a delivery-pipe passingtherethrough an S- trap formed on the end of the delivery-pipe with onebend above the level of the liquid of the reservoir, and a submergedcheek-valve on the other end of the trap, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I'afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH KENARD Witnesses:

CHAs. IRVING BALDWIN, CHAs. SEARS PARMELE.

RUSH.

